Possible Attraction in France pavilion (Epcot) Update - new Attraction Greenlit

Daveeeeed

Well-Known Member
Seems like that would be tough with that huge service road entrance to the utilidors. And I think BoG effectively blocks ETWB from accessing the north side of the access road and there's no way that BoG is being touched.

I think using Gaston's and restrooms as a ride queue and then using the ride vehicles to travel over the access road (indoors) is the most feasible option which can use a ton of space to the north for the show building. They can even use the existing village gift shop as the post-ride merch location. It would be unfortunate to lose Gaston's but I think losing a food location for a ride is a win and I wouldn't be surprised if the merch sales increase could justify it by bringing more guests through that area.
It's a lot more complicated than connecting the exit to the shop etc.

The most feasible option would be to demo the restrooms there and pull an Indy where the queue is long in length. That's the best way, and truly the only way with minimal altering of the park. I doubt Small World will ever get relocated in the park and zero chance to EPCOT as it's a people eater.
 
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Daveeeeed

Well-Known Member
It would be a good idea in theory but they would never do it.
Definitely agree.
I feel like even the architecture (of the outdoor ones) would look great for WorldShowcase, but its capacity would leave a massive burden on The Magic Kingdom, and it would cost so much money that as a guest I would much rather prefer a new ride.

Now the speedway on the other hand is another story. It could actually be neat to have it under Test Track's outside track, and it would be a great way to make younger kids want to go to EPCOT, and better yet -- it would free up the speedway's space at MK.
 

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Oh I haven't. What I was implying is that Bob Igor will want it somewhere. That said, this is a VERY easy switch (Epcot) to make. If they were willing to put GotG into ToT, this would be an even easier decision--they have the space where it basically makes sense (if anything, the live action BatB is more clearly set in France than the original) and can easily substitute one use of LPS for another. We shall see how the next 6 months go. Remember how quickly the DHS plans shifted?

Imagine Emma Watson on billboards next to Daniel Radcliffe.
I would think that if they did a ride in Epcot it would be a clone of Tokyo's which is based on the animated version so no Emma Watson.
Yes, agreed! People act like the park needs this ride because the movie will do so well. But the animated film already has the show in DHS, a significant portion in Mickey's Philharmagic, and a land in NFL where you have a M&G, full-scale restaurant, shop, and small eatery in Gaston's (and Maurice's Popping cart). Okay, so this movie looks incredible and I cannot wait to see it. And it will totally do $1 billion +. So, rather than add another ride for this movie, give us something brand new with Ratatouille and make significant channges to the show in DHS. Why not enclose it and add something more in caliber to the broadway show to DHS? You cannot tell me those tired costumes do not need updating!
There has to be a ride in the first place for B&tB to be getting "another ride." There is none. Not a single one anywhere in the world (yet). The IPs presence in WDW imo is, quite frankly, crap. None of it does it full justice. The Tokyo ride looks and sounds incredible. Rat just looks "OK."
True, but the problem is Disney did screw up with MK's mini land of Beauty and the Beast unlike what Tokyo is planning. New Fantasy land did had some missteps like turning Snow White's Scary Adventures into a Princess Meet and Greet area despite the fact MK actually need more rides. When Disneyland has more rides than MK despite the size different between the 2 parks, there needs to be a way to fix that. Beauty and Beast Mini Land for MK was another of those missteps.

What happened to MK's Mini land of Beauty and the Beast isn't as much with TDO, but a lot with Burbank. New Fantasyland was Jay Rasulo's baby for MK before a few changes Staggs made to it after he became the Chairman of the parks. Staggs lefts Rasulo's Beauty and the Beast Mini land alone alone with the Mermaid ride, and the duel dumbos. TDO really didn't have a say in New Fantasy Land at all.

MK's Beauty and the Beast mini land has Gaston's Tavern, Be Our Guest Restaurant, shop, and Enchanted tales with Belle. The problem with that is MK doesn't need having a total 2 eating places and doesn't really need Enchanted tales with Belle. They screwed up by not having a ride. Enchanted Tales with Belle is a very low Capacity attraction and MK doesn't need a very low Capacity attraction like that in a park that needs more capacity.

What Makes Tokyo's plan of a Beauty and the Beast area better is having a ride, 1 eating place and shop. I think Guests rather have a ride instead of Enchanted Tales with Belle and having 2 new Eating places when 1 would be good enough.

The problem with 2 eating places is Disney has eating places that aren't being aren't used all year round. The only food place The Mini land needed was Be Our Guest since MK doesn't have a lot of Table Service Restaurants.
The B&tB area in Magic Kingdom is the equivalent of if Universal built Hogsmeade with no Forbidden Journey and instead a Great Hall restaurant was inside Hogwarts. Oh, and the two roller coasters wouldn't be there either. Ollivander's still gets built though so there's that.

Now does that sound "fun" to people, or does it sound like something that's incredibly and laughably pathetic?
 

cheezbat

Well-Known Member
In all seriousness, Enchanted Tales with Belle could and should be the kickoff facade for the Belle LPS attraction in MK. I suspect this would come at the cost of Pinocchio's Village Haus and/or re-working the service road.
This is exactly what I've considered...it makes the most sense. If they must keep that garbage princess fairytale hall, they might as well tear down Village Haus and the connecting restrooms and shoehorn the Beauty and the Beast ride there.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
This is exactly what I've considered...it makes the most sense. If they must keep that garbage princess fairytale hall, they might as well tear down Village Haus and the connecting restrooms and shoehorn the Beauty and the Beast ride there.
Why would they? Why would they spend all that money when the movies already made them money? When the movies already represented multiple times across property?

And why would they spend more money to develop a different ride for Epcot when the proposal has been paid for, the plans are ready to go and the R&D is done? And again, when BatB is already represented across property.

Rat is so far advanced I'd be surprised if it were cancelled now. Given the corporate climate.
 

jmuboy

Well-Known Member
Why would they? Why would they spend all that money when the movies already made them money? When the movies already represented multiple times across property?

And why would they spend more money to develop a different ride for Epcot when the proposal has been paid for, the plans are ready to go and the R&D is done? And again, when BatB is already represented across property.

Rat is so far advanced I'd be surprised if it were cancelled now. Given the corporate climate.
Ageee with Marni here..... BatB ride could, with some clever rework of the restrooms by Gaston's tavern, be addded to the back of new Fantadyland if they really wanted to add it. I think BatB in MK and Rat Epcot is best plan. But seems BatB as of today isn't on the radar .... yet. Now adding both go a long way to help round out offerings at both parks( assuming you have resigned yourself to more characters at Epcot. )
 

Ripken10

Well-Known Member
Why would they? Why would they spend all that money when the movies already made them money? When the movies already represented multiple times across property?

And why would they spend more money to develop a different ride for Epcot when the proposal has been paid for, the plans are ready to go and the R&D is done? And again, when BatB is already represented across property.

Rat is so far advanced I'd be surprised if it were cancelled now. Given the corporate climate.
I am obviously not in the know, but I was thinking about something as I was reading this thread, and when I read your post it almost felt like it supported my random thought. Sure, Bob loves IP, and sure Beauty and the Beast is making a ton of money. But on that same thought...they now have the successful animated movie and they already have a successful live action movie. A ride wouldn't increase by a very large amount any profits in the movie sector of their business, and even merchandise it might not have that much of an effect. But if they built a ride for another IP - isn't there more possibilities there for tie ins. Take Rat - now I may be talking crazy (would need to rewatch the film maybe) but could there be more possibilities for this to be a sequel or live action. If you build a ride, and it is popular, the public might be more interested if such a movie came up, increasing those profits. Same with merchandise - it is not (as far as I know) a popular movie for merchandise, but if you create a ride...(could you imagine management thinking, built a ride, and we might have our first hit live action Pixar movie)

I think of like Song of the South - if we could ignore for a minute that the movie can not, and will not be (in the foreseeable future) shown in the US again, if their was no issues with the story of the movie today, wouldn't Splash Mountain be the main influence on another movie coming out (if it weren't for the controversy I think they would have revisited this property in movies already), that likely would have been more successful then the original Song of the South in theaters and on video? What I am trying to say, couldn't Bob be thinking that he wants another IP that has the potential for more. What more potential does Beauty and the Beast have (or better asked - which property, rat or Beast, has more room to increase revenue then its already making)? When will they ever make another Beauty and the beast movie that makes the money it is making in the first two most successful ones.
 

larandtra

Well-Known Member
Some of the ideas bantered about here are interesting, but, what must be kept in mind is the "business" and economic end of things. Some seem to grasp that. others not so much. R&D costs money and every company has a no turning back point in the process. It sounds like Rat has hit that point and personally, I think its a smart decision for Epcot. IP or no IP discussion aside, its one that is very undervalued, fits Epcot from not only a character but from the food aspect as well, and makes the most sense. Uprooting IASW from MK and moving it to Epcot makes absolutely no sense. The cost of that would be ridiculous. Spend that money on a new Project at Epcot or even as Marni suggested, put the actual B&B RIDE into the area already created at MK. Would that take some creative moving things around? Sure, but, there is no reason to take out Village house or Small world. We can spend a ton of time tossing things about, but, the cost factor must always come into play and must be considered when doing so. There are tons of things that can be done but with those things some people will have to relax and accept that there will be a lot more IP in some of the parks ( Epcot included). And it can be done the right way, but, change isnt a bad thing. It can be frustrating but rather than just poo pooing things, wait and see and give it a chance to develop. The one thing I see on this board more than anything is a lack of patience and a negative reaction to ANYTHING the company does from specific posters because that is all they know how to do. Complainers rarely get heard in this world when that is all they do because people start to tune them out. Try having a realistic approach and view and not jump off the cliff all the time.
 

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
Yeah, like Marni, I am still saying that Rat is going. I still see a shred of a chance for a last minute swap for B&tB, but not for long.
Well, seeing as how they already have an entire BATB section in another park it really would not make sense to put a BATB ride somewhere other than there.
The Bobs wouldn't care, but this seems to be a non-issue with the current situation.
 

MCast

Well-Known Member
Yeah, like Marni, I am still saying that Rat is going. I still see a shred of a chance for a last minute swap for B&tB, but not for long.

The Bobs wouldn't care, but this seems to be a non-issue with the current situation.

Question: Given the imminent financial success of the new BATB, wouldn't corporate want to capitalize on it more wherever possible? Similar to how they practically redid Norway to accommodate Frozen?
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Yeah, like Marni, I am still saying that Rat is going. I still see a shred of a chance for a last minute swap for B&tB, but not for long.

The Bobs wouldn't care, but this seems to be a non-issue with the current situation.
Yes. Folks are giving them too much credit suggesting they opted for Rat because BatB is represented elsewhere. My understanding is that when BatB was predicted to hit $100m in its first weekend and earn $700m total, they opted for the cheaper, quicker-to-build Rat due to a contrived time constraint (my personal theory is that they picked it to help with Star Wars crowds and have tabled the Mickey LPS). The stage show at DHS would then get its planned, and very necessary upgrades. Now that BatB is a global phenomenon, perhaps priorities will change, but I admit it would take a lot of shifting and money--not only the pricier ride for Epcot with a new ride system, but they'd also have the commence the Mickey LPS at the same time. One must not ignore the operational issues at DHS if GMR closes that could be avoided by instead building an LPS a mile northeast.

As you say, if they change their minds, that change must occur quickly. Which has occurred before.

They could not possibly care less that BatB is in MK. Every decision is based upon anticipated return and which park has a need and where. The last thing MK needs is more in Fantasyland at present. Expansion, if anywhere, will occur at the west or east fringes (likely east).
 

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